lincoln highlighted his main point, that clay engaged his whole energies on behalf of the union. as late as february 1861 in the middle of the crisis of the union, lincoln professed during my whole political life i have loved and revered clay as a teacher and leader. in his permission, lincoln also noted clay's opposition to slavery. for lincoln, that anti-slavery stands as vital because as the man who was opposed to slavery, and lincoln could never embrace his hero any man who was proslavery. several times and addresses, lincoln made clear look care, to point to place detestation of slavery, and particularly particularly's opposition to the institution spread. lincoln didn't invent an anti-slavery. anti-slavery, clay. yet be overlooked and downplayed his willingness to moderate that stands. without doubt, clay was a slave owner did detest the institution. he even tried unsuccessfully to get his state, kentucky, to adopt gradual emancipation. client also said he would never forced slavery into any area where it had not previously existed here yet, in 1850, referring specifically